Shaking the branch.

[CasqueAbove]

So this may sound odd too some, but about once a month I shake a branch my cham is on. Preferably when not ready. ?? Why would you do this what a jerk right. Well over my time with chameleons, only one year with two chams, and many other reptiles over the years, I have realized this is one thing they can not hide.

A healthy chameleon, even when surprised, will not falter. They do not loose grip, or seem to have to correct their balance.

On the other hand if the cham does seem to loose a bit of balance, or grip, it is likely a sign of something else going on.

My male suffered an injury, and my female went through a bout of dehydration, only a week or so, but this slight lack of stability was something I could observe.

I am curious of others experiences in this?

Please don't reply "what if you shake him off" it is obviously a less of a shake.

 

[jamest0o0]

Petr shook first

 

[jamest0o0]

Jk jk, I see nothing wrong with it. My cham lives outside through some intense storms and doesn't budge an inch through it. Haven't purposely tried it, but I'm not opposed.

 

[CasqueAbove]

Jk jk, I see nothing wrong with it. My cham lives outside through some intense storms and doesn't budge an inch through it. Haven't purposely tried it, but I'm not opposed.

Well mother nature is doing it for you. If you saw him get knocked off, or struggling you would likely real quick as you would recognize it as a problem.
I wish I could keep outside. I am in Oregon, so I am thinking of setting up something for the summer months.

 

[jamest0o0]

Oh yeah absolutely. I'm in PA so I think we may have a similar climate. He only stays out for late spring through early fall. Parsons are good at handling the temper fluctuations so it works out pretty well for me.

 

[NikkiA]

Petr shook first

???? Thank you! I needed that chuckle!!

 

[NikkiA]

I can understand the reasoning behind the branch shaking. The theory seems sound because you are looking for problems that may otherwise be hidden.

 

[Tinytort]

What if you caught your cham learning to play dead through watching hours of YouTube videos while free ranging the house and everytime you go to shake the branch he closes his eyes, stiffens up, turns dark, falls off the branch, and lays on the floor of the terrium occasionally peeping out of one eye at you hoping you will just walk away and leave the lid of the container of bsfl and all you want to do is to shake the damn branch?

 

[SourGrape4u]

Petr shook first

Hey now that is my line im the one that caught that video!

 

[SourGrape4u]

What if you caught your cham learning to play dead through watching hours of YouTube videos while free ranging the house and everytime you go to shake the branch he closes his eyes, stiffens up, turns dark, falls off the branch, and lays on the floor of the terrium occasionally peeping out of one eye at you hoping you will just walk away and leave the lid of the container of bsfl and all you want to do is to shake the damn branch?

Lol you put to much thought into that

 

[PabloTheCham]

Hey now that is my line im the one that caught that video!

Props to you it was really hard to tell, I wonder how you caught that

 

[CasqueAbove]

What if you caught your cham learning to play dead through watching hours of YouTube videos while free ranging the house and everytime you go to shake the branch he closes his eyes, stiffens up, turns dark, falls off the branch, and lays on the floor of the terrium occasionally peeping out of one eye at you hoping you will just walk away and leave the lid of the container of bsfl and all you want to do is to shake the damn branch?

Have you seen this? What species? I deal with Yemen chameleons, but it would not surprise me if it is a behavior of some. Don't watch youtube. Watch you cham, see what is normal for him. If this is his normal behavior, then maybe staying on the branch would indicate a problem.

 

[Tinytort]

Lol you put to much thought into that

It took about two minutes lol

 

[SourGrape4u]

Props to you it was really hard to tell, I wonder how you caught that

Well its a looong story but as a young kid my dad shook a tree i was on and i didnt hold on that well and he said he would have to put me down or give me more calcium/D3.

 

[Tinytort]

Have you seen this? What species? I deal with Yemen chameleons, but it would not surprise me if it is a behavior of some. Don't watch youtube. Watch you cham, see what is normal for him. If this is his normal behavior, then maybe staying on the branch would indicate a problem.

Sambava and it only became normal after he watched YouTube videos of it. Maybe you're right about him being on the branch , but it's hard to tell.

 

[CasqueAbove]

Sambava and it only became normal after he watched YouTube videos of it. Maybe you're right about him being on the branch , but it's hard to tell.

I really should mention species, we always group them. It is like saying "What does my fish need"

 

[Tinytort]

I really should mention species, we always group them. It is like saying "What does my fish need"

Lol panther